Demonstration apparatus



Oct. 16, 1934.

J. F. PUTNAM ET AL DEMONSTRATION APPARATUS Filed NOV. 25, 1952 Inventors Joseph F Pufnam El/fs R. Abbe ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1934 DEMONSTRATION APPARATUS Joseph F. Putnam,Berkelfey, and Ellis R. Abbe; Richmond, Calif., assignors, by mesne assign- 1 ments, to Standard Oil Company of California, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Dela-- ware Application November 25, 1932, Serial No. 644,162 5 Claims. (01. 35-16) This invention relates to physical apparatus and more particularly to, one which is adapted to demonstrate to an untrained and unskilled observer the difference in the physical charac-v teristics of two types or grades oflubricant, such as a gear grease and a. gear oil under certain conditions of temperature.

In present automotive lubrication practice, it has been found that a lubricant such as is used 1 for an automobile transmission, for example, which is of the proper viscosity for summer use, when the atmospheric temperature may be at or near 100 degrees Fahrenheit for considerable periods, may become so viscous in winter, when 1 the temperature may be at or below freezingthat it will not properly lubricate the rubbing surfaces, and will also interfere with the shifting of gears. This range of temperature from summer to winter is not unusual in many sections of this country; The obvious procedure is to provide a fairly viscous lubricant for the warm summer period, and, upon the approach of winter, to drain out this lubricant, which may be of the type known to the trade as a gear grease, and substitute therefor a gear oil or lubricant of lower viscosity, or one which will retain its fluidity at low temperatures. This practice is conducive to better lubrication of the relatively moving parts, and

also allows the manipulation or shifting of gears i to be more easily and safely accomplished.

The logic of this substitution is not easily demonstrated to a driver of an automobile by simple argument or by sales talks, particularly because of the fact that the transition from warm to cool to cold weather is more or less gradual, and the increased effort required to shift gears is not readily observed. The other result, that of improper lubrication, is usually not outwardly apparent at all, unless the concealed parts be- 3 come so badly worn as to require replacement, as

increased noise caused by undue wear is masked by the increased viscosity of the lubricant.

It has been found, however, that the evidence of the physical senses, particularly the manual sense of touch or muscular effort, is more convincing to most individuals than a logical argument. Accordingly, a simple and roughly qualitative physical comparison apparatus has been devised for demonstrating the effect of temperature upon 9: the viscosity of different lubricants, which apparatus may be manipulated by the customer to his own satisfaction, thereby convincing him that it is convenient and usually economical to make periodical changes of lubricant as outlined above.

It is an object of this invention to provide a roughly qualitative physical testing apparatus to demonstrate to an unskilled observer the effect of temperature upon different grades of lubricants. Another object is to provide an apparatus of this nature which is very simple to construct and use and which is so cheap that one may be economically installed in every service station of amarketing organization. y

A further object is .to provide an apparatus inwhich the manual ormuscular sense of the 'ob.-' server is utilized to show roughly the difference in viscosity between two lubricants; These and other objects will be more fully apparent from the description which follows and fromthe. accompanying drawing-which forms a part of this specification and illustrates a vpreferred embodiment of this invention;

-Inthe drawing:

2 Figure 1 is anend elevation, partly insection,

of" a comparison device embodying this invention. Figu e 2 isa side elevation-of the device shown In the drawing, the numeral 11 represents a rectangular metal tank or container, which is divided longitudinally by means of a vertical plate 12 into two identical long, deep and narrow compartments l3 and 14. The tank 11 may be made of galvanized sheet steel or the like and is preferably soldered at all joints to prevent leakage.

A transverse shaft 15 passes through the upper side walls of both compartments 13 and 14 as shown, and may be upset or riveted over at its outer ends 16 to retain it in place. Pivoted to turn freely on shaft 15 are two identical paddles or agitators 17, which may be of hard wood or the like. Paddles 17 may be fitted with metal handles or levers 18 which terminate at their upper ends in knobs 19 to facilitate their operation. If desired, the paddles and handles may be made of one piece of hardwood or metal, and of any desired cross-section, although the square section shown has proved to be quite satisfactory.

Shaft 15 is preferably provided with spacing bushings or washers 20, which serve to space paddles 1'? equally from the walls of compartments l3 and 14. A wooden base 21, with a molding 22 may be attached to tank 11, to make it more stable.

In operation, one compartment is filled about half full of one grade of lubricant, as shown by the dotted line A, and the other filled to the same height with the alternative material. Care should be taken that the paddles are equally immersed, in order that a true and representative IQO result will be obtained. When the two compartments are exposed to and have reached a uniform temperature, for example, that of the outside atmospheric temperature, the viscosity of the materials in the two compartmentsmay be quite difierent. The operator; to note this difference, and also to note the effect thereof on the ease of shifting the gears of an automobile transmission, for example, merely oscillates first one paddle and then the other, whereupon his manual or muscular sense will at once"distinguish between the two lubricants, and will convey to him the reasons for changing from one lubricant to the other according to the changes in atmospheric temperature. u

This has been found true in practice, and has resulted in greatly increased sale of lubricants, as well as a more intelligent comprehension of the mechanics of this type of lubricationby the customers who have operated the apparatus.

It is obvious that this. device may'be'made with morethan the two compartments illustrated for the comparison of a number of lubricants, all of different viscosity-temperature characteristica and for the same or like purposes as'outlined above.- 1 5 Although a specific construction embodying this invention has been-described and illustrated, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that specific device, and allsuch modi ficationsand changes as come within the scope of the appended claims-are embraced thereby.

We claimz I I 1-. An apparatus for'demonstrating the comparative viscositycharacteristics of lubricants,

comprising a plurality of lubricant containers,

separately pivoted members extending into said containers, each of said members adapted to be independently manually oscillated by an observer,

to be separately manually oscillated by an observer, the resistance to said separate oscillation furnishing an index to the viscosity of the 1ubri' cant.

3 An apparatus for demonstrating the comparative viscosity characteristics of lubricants at a given temperature, comprising two adjacent compartmentaa shaft passing through the walls of said compartments, and two agitators independently rotatably mounted on said shaft, one extending into each compartment and definitev ly spaced from the walls thereof.

4. An apparatus for demonstrating the comparativ'e viscosity characteristics of lubricants, consisting of two adjacentrectangular compartments, a shaft passing through the side walls of said compartments near the upper edge there'- of, and two similarly shaped agitators independently rotatablymounted on said shaft, one extending into each compartment and definitely spaced from the walls thereof 5. An apparatus for physicallydemonstrating the efiect of temperature upon't'he viscosity ch'aracteristics oflubricants, consisting of two ad-' jacent rectangular compartments, a shaft passing through theside walls of saidcompartments near the upper edge thereof, two similarly shaped agitators separately mounted on said shaftjone extending. into each compartment, and spacing means on said shaft whereby said agitators are equally spaced from the walls of said compartments. N JOSEPH PUTNAMJ ELLIS R. ABBE.

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